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How to build an app clone

This article was taken from the August 2014 issue of Wired magazine. Be the first to read Wired's articles in print before they're posted online, and get your hands on loads of additional content by <span class="s1">subscribing online. "Developing apps from scratch is time-consuming," says Vojtech Svarc, founder of StartAppYard, which sells modifiable app templates -- such as Flappy Crocodile, based on Flappy Bird, the intensely addictive mobile game. "Just look for a template you can use and modify." Then follow these steps.

Get a developer account You'll need this to publish the app. Svarc used Apple Developer, which costs $99 (£59) a year. You'll also need a program to modify source code, such as Xcode, which you can download from Apple. "You don't have to be advanced, but you should know your way around code," says Svarc.

Buy source code These cost between $99 and $349 and can be purchased from various websites, such as startappyard.com, apptopia.com or chupamobile.com. Svarc recommends novices begin with his Flappy Crocodile code, as it is popular, addictive, and has a step-by-step developer tutorial.

Change the game "Changing sounds and images is a bare minimum," says Svarc.Overwrite details in Xcode by dragging and dropping the new files over the original source code files. You can monitor your game's progress with "product clean" and launching the game to play it in a simulator.

Upload and publish the app If you plan to sell your app, change the advert settings to ensure you are promoting your own app. Change the name and other identifying info in Xcode. Before you submit your code to the App store, ensure that the file is below 20MB -- any more will take up a substantial amount of space on a mobile device.

This article was first published in the August 2014 issue of WIRED magazine